Best Dog Trainers in and Near Hartford, CT

Canine Behavioral Blueprints is the Glastonbury practice of Dr. Allyson Salzer, who lists her credentials as PhD, CAAB, BCBA-D, CBCC-KA and CPDT-KA. She is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist through the Animal Behavior Society and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst who specializes in dogs. Her Complicated Canine program builds a treatment plan for problem behavior such as reactivity, aggression, resource guarding and phobias. For a few specific puppy or manners questions, she offers a single private session at your home. Virtual consultations are open to people outside her service area or who'd rather meet online. The site lists no group classes or prices, so book a consultation to talk through your dog's case.

Elite Training Centers runs a training and boarding facility in Glastonbury. Owner Ivan Rios is listed as a Certified Dog Trainer with more than 15 years of hands on work. Training is reward based and led by the owner, and the site states that it never uses prong, choke or shock collars. Board and train keeps your dog for 2 to 4 weeks, with video report cards twice a week and handover lessons at your home, and it's listed on their site as starting at $2,300. A reactive dog program works on fear based and general reactivity at home or at the facility, while cases of aggression toward dogs or people are referred to a specialist the company trusts. Daycare and boarding run on the same property, with boarding listed on their site as $70 a night.

Hartford Obedience Training Club was founded in 1937 as a branch of the Nutmeg Dog Club, and the club says it has stayed in continuous operation since then. Classes meet every Thursday evening from 5:30 to 9:30 in West Hartford, in the brick building next to the Connecticut Veterinary Center's main hospital. The class list covers Beginners, Family Dog, Rally, Noseworks and Competition, plus occasional specials. Instructors follow routines approved by the American Kennel Club, so you can enter AKC matches or trials later if you want to. All dogs are welcome, mixed breeds included. The club posts no prices online.

Tails-U-Win is a positive reinforcement training center in Manchester that says it has served Tolland and Hartford County since 1991. The site lists more than 85 classes a week taught by a large staff, and you're welcome to watch any scheduled class before you sign up. Puppy options include Jumpstart Kindergarten Puppy Preschool, Family Dog and Puppy K classes, and the Great Expectations Puppy Academy. Past the basics, you'll find agility, rally, competition obedience, scent work, Canine Good Citizen, therapy dog classes and conformation handling. For reactive dogs, they offer private lessons in person and an online class called Reactive Dog LIVE. Staff credentials and class prices aren't posted, so check the online schedule for current sessions.

Wagging Tails is a pet resort with locations in Newington and Wolcott that says it has cared for Connecticut pets since 1995. Its training uses positive reinforcement and reward based methods, taught by trainers the site calls certified and nationally recognized, though it doesn't name them. Puppy training takes dogs from 10 weeks to 5 and a half months, and basic and intermediate obedience start at 6 months. Classes run as six week sessions that meet for an hour once a week, and they're offered seven days a week in group or private format. You can also book private training at your home, a board and train stay, training during daycare, or behavior modification for a specific problem. Ask which location hosts your class. The site says payment is due at registration with no refunds.

Logically Canine is a West Simsbury training business founded by Kelsey Deutsch, whom the site describes as a certified professional dog trainer with over 8 years of hands on experience. The method is described as balanced, built on structure and clear communication along with positive reinforcement. Logically Reset is a three week board and train for dogs dealing with anxiety, fear, reactivity, aggression or resource guarding. Private coaching comes in a Puppy Edition for dogs 8 weeks to 6 months and a Foundations Edition for older dogs, both with homework and ongoing support. Group classes follow a tiered Core Obedience path capped at six dog and handler teams, with electives such as scent work and fitness. Prices aren't listed on the site.

The Good Dog Spot in Bloomfield pairs dog training with daycare and boarding, and it also offers bathing. Its trainers use positive reinforcement in both group classes and private sessions, and the site says the aim is manners that carry over to real life at home. The site doesn't spell out a class schedule or list staff credentials. Training requests go through a separate training form. The free evaluation on the site is a behavior check for daycare and boarding clients before their first visit, so ask how a training start works. The facility keeps morning and late afternoon hours every day of the week, and you'll need to call for training costs.

The Doggy Dojo calls itself Connecticut's newest family centered training and rescue center, and it works out of a suite in Rocky Hill. Its foundations program helps a newly adopted dog settle into your home, and custom courses work on hard behavior at home and in public. The team says it will train wherever you and your dog are, so lessons aren't limited to the facility, and custom behavior modification is offered. The site also has a section for rescue partners and a calendar of play events. It doesn't list trainer credentials, group classes or prices. Booking runs through an online scheduler.

Off Leash K9 Training Hartford is the local office of the national Off Leash K9 franchise, and its site says it serves Hartford and the surrounding communities. Its two week board and train is the package the site calls its most effective, and it ends with a two hour private session where you learn to handle your dog. Other options include puppy training with potty and crate work, basic obedience with place and loose leash walking, an eight class aggression course built on private lessons, a boot camp, and therapy dog training for a pet you already own. The advanced program uses an electronic collar, which the site describes as waterproof with a range of three quarters of a mile. The site says trainers are often booked months ahead and lists no prices.

Coaching 4 Paws trains dogs from a facility in Southington and says it works with owners across Connecticut, with over 15 years of experience behind the business. The site describes a balanced approach grounded in canine learning science and says its trainers are IACP certified. Board and train keeps your dog for three weeks or more. Day training means you drop your dog off and get a recap with homework at pickup. Private lessons target problems like jumping, barking, leash pulling and weak recall, and behavior modification covers reactivity, aggression, separation anxiety and fear. Puppy training works on crate and potty habits, bite inhibition and early manners. You start with a free consultation, and while no prices are listed, there's a financing page.

Canine Cadré trains from two sites, one in Wallingford and one in Northford, and its work runs from family pets to working dogs. The team blends behavior modification with training in drive. For pet owners, the site lists a Puppy Head Start program for early development, obedience, Canine Good Citizen classes and a Distraction Class that tests skills around heavy distractions. Serious or aggressive cases start with a paid consultation of one to two hours, while the free evaluation runs 15 to 30 minutes. Working dog programs include IGP Schutzhund, police patrol and narcotics, search and rescue, therapy, service and hearing dog work. Online sessions are offered if you live too far away. Staff names and credentials aren't listed on the site.

Central K9 is a dog training and sports facility in Colchester, and Jessica Edgerly is listed as its owner and a trainer. Group obedience starts with Puppy Kindergarten, which asks that puppies have at least three distemper shots and their rabies vaccine, then moves to Basic Obedience and an intermediate Distraction Training class. Competition obedience is taught in private lessons. Agility groups run at beginner through advanced levels, and barn hunt classes meet several times a week in a dedicated barn hunt area. Classes run in six week rotations, listed on their site as $257 for a six week class, with drop ins at $41 when the instructor allows. Private lessons for any activity are listed at $82 for a half hour and $154 for an hour.

Michelle Larson owns and teaches at Paws N Heel Dog Training in East Hampton, a full time business she runs after well over 30 years of training and handling dogs and teaching their owners. She is an obedience judge, holds a B.S. in Education from CCSU, and is a longtime endorsed member of the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors, and our records list her as a NADOI Certified Instructor. Classes cover puppy kindergarten, basic manners, scent work, intermediate and advanced Canine Good Citizen, Rally O and agility. Enrollment is open for 2026 classes. The site doesn't list private lessons or prices.

V3 Gun Dogs and Canine Academy is Jeremy Cormier's training business in Lebanon, which used to operate as Whiskey River Kennels. The site says Cormier's experience runs from basic obedience to protection and detection dogs, along with gun dogs. Gun dog training takes hunting dogs from field skills to obedience for both new and seasoned hunters, and the FAQ lists a collar, lead, training dummy and whistle as basic gear. For family dogs, obedience uses positive reinforcement in group classes or private sessions, and the Canine Academy courses work on agility and social skills. Personal protection and police or military dog training are listed too. Call for pricing, since the site doesn't show any.

Bark and Soul Dog is a woman owned training and care facility in Prospect, at the southwest edge of this guide's area. The site describes balanced training fitted to each dog, covering puppy training, obedience, off leash reliability, confidence building and behavior modification. You can book private sessions or send your dog to a day camp or bootcamp. The building also has up to 20 lodging units for overnight boarding, a Daystay program for dogs that struggle home alone or in a typical daycare, and grooming for dogs and cats. The site lists no trainer credentials or prices. The facility is closed Sunday and Monday.

Escape the Crate is Janis Copes's force free training business, with group classes held at Prospect Parks and Recreation. The class ladder runs from Beginner 1 and Beginner 2 to Intermediate 1 and Intermediate Plus, and Trick Training and Agility Foundation Games give active dogs something extra. Copes lists the ABCDT credential on her site, and our records show her as a Pet Professional Guild member. If a class isn't the right fit, she offers private or online lessons and consultations, and the site has a section on dogs that are fearful or shy. Prices and schedules sit behind each class's Find a Class link.

K-9 and Pets Dog Training is in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, just over the Connecticut line. Obedience and puppy lessons are one on one at the facility with a trainer the site calls a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and each starts with a free evaluation. Group classes focus on correcting unwanted behavior and improving how you communicate with your dog. A training day camp lets the trainer do the work while your dog stays for the day. The business also runs personal and family protection programs and protection sports such as competitive obedience and protection work, plus daycare. The site describes its style as fun and growl free but doesn't name tools or post prices.

Kevin Moriarty founded Kevin Moriarty's DogTown in East Longmeadow in 1998, and the site lists Enfield and Suffield among the Connecticut towns it serves. Moriarty is described as a certified dog trainer, and his stated philosophy is to be firm but fair. Much of the work happens in your home through private sessions, with three session puppy packs and a pre purchase consultation if you haven't picked a puppy yet. Obedience packages include The Blitz Package, and the menu also lists Canine Good Citizen training, service dog training, and working dog evaluation and training. Tools and prices aren't described on the site.

Through Dogs Eyes Canine Training is a one person business in Hampden, Massachusetts, run by TJ Dwyer. Every client works one on one with TJ, and the site describes a minimalist approach that aims for the most progress with the fewest steps. TJ has taken Ivan Balabanov's Training Without Conflict course and lists other seminars and online programs as part of his education. The business also runs a small daycare in a fenced space at his home, which sits on seven acres. No certifications, board and train or prices are listed. Hampden sits on the Massachusetts side of the line, so TJ is the most practical pick for owners in the north of this area.